N(beta-hydroxy ethyl)-tetraiodophthalimide



Patented Oct. 19,1948 r 2,451,637

UNITED STATES mew-OFFICE Noa-HYnRoXY ETHYL) -TETRAIoD- PHTHALIMIDE William H. Strain, Rochester, N. Y., and. Joseph Dec, Martinsville, N. J., assignors to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey N 0 Drawing. Application February 1, 1947,

Serial No. 725,966

1 Claim. (Cl. 260-326) 2 This invention relates to a new compound, We give below two examples showing methods -(B-hydroxyethyl) -tetraiodophthalimide or pof making our novel compound.

Example 1.-To a solution of 652 g. of tetratetraiodophthalimido-ethanol,

iodophthalimide in 2000 ml. of nitrobenzene at I ff 5 150 0. is added 415 g. of N-(fi-hydroxyethyb- I -o formamide, and the mixture is stirred at 155 C. N'CHz'CHa-0H for one hour. On cooling to room temperature,

I o solid N-(p-hydroxyethyl) -tetraiodophthalimide I g separates and is isolated by filtering and washing with hot methanol. The product is purified by This compound has high radiographic opacity crystallization from dioxane and is obtained in and low toxicity, and has been found to be useful the form of beautiful yellow crystals melting at as a contrast medium for the roentgenographic 3 C- T P p a o tetraiodophthal- Visualization of the gastro-intestinal tract, Th imide is described by Pratt and Perkins in J. Am. standard barium sulfate suspensions which are Chem. Soc. 40, 212 (1918). The preparation of now used clinically for gastro-intestinal studies N-(fi-hydrOXyethyD-f rmamide is described by usually settle out, are gritty, adhere only mod- Wenker in J. Am. Chem. Soc. 57, 1079 (1935). erately well to the bowel wall, and frequently Example 2.-A mixture of 3 6 parts of tetrainspissate in the bowel. On the other hand, a iodophthalic anhydride and 330 parts of B- 25% aqueous suspension of N-(p-hydroxyethy1) hydroxyethyl) -formamide is heated with stirring tetraiodophthalimide milled to substantially colfor one hour at 155-160 C. On cooling, N-(oloidal size does not settle, is not gritty, adheres hy xy yD- trai d p h limid par t s well to the mucosal surface f the b el, thu and is isolated by filtration. For purification, the

outlining the fine structure, and apparently does product is slurri d in water. fil r d and wa hed not inspis-sate appreciably in the bowel. well first with water and finally with alcohol.

A 25% aqueous suspension of finely ground The preparation of tetraiodophthalic anhydride tetraiodophthalimide, the parent compound, was is d s e by Pratt and pp in e first used clinically with a. number of patients. Soc. 40, 254 (1918).

It was administered orally on a fasting stomach, Ne (B-hydroxyethyD- tetraiodophthalimide as and the amount of suspension given each patient obtained by ou Syntheses consisted of needles was of the order of 100-200 cc. The usual fluoroy g in particle size from 3 to 25 microns. scopic examination was made during and follow- Suspensions suitable for clinical use, with a paring the administration. Although the patients ticle size of 1-2 microns, were prepared from this tolerated the mixture well, it was found that the material, either by wet ball-milling with Water contraction waves of the stomach were increased for 10-12 weeks or by dry grinding in a Micromarkedly. Although this may be desirable in nizer pulverizer, manufactured by the Internacertain types of cases, routine use would involve tional Pulverizer 00., of Moorestown, N. J and revision of the standards used for stomach work, then wet ball-milling for 2-3 weeks the product and this would be a task of great magnitude. thus dry-ground. The ball-milling was done in However, a 25% aqueous suspension of finely a l-gallon apparatus using charges of about 2 ground N B-hydroxyethyl) -tetraiodophthalimkilograms of which usually 25 per cent was N-(fiide, and also suspensions of different particle size hydroxyethyl) -tetraiodophthalimide and the rest and concentration, have been used for a very water. Periods of ball-milling shorter than those considerable number of clinical examinations. specified Were inadequate to reduce the particle At no time have any untoward reactions been size uniformly to 1.5-2 microns. observed. Furthermore, there has been no evi- Other methods of reducing the particle size may dance fiuoroscopically that the suspensions of occurto those skilled in the art.

-(;8-hydroxyethyl)-tetraiodophthalimide alter The results of animal and clinical testing of the normal stomach motility; this indicates that our novel compound as a contrast medium for the medium i-sdevoid of irritating effects. roentgenographic visualization of the gastrointestinal tract are described in a paper by Jones, Chalecke, Dec, Schilling, Ramsey, Robertson and Strain, presented December 5, 1946, in Chicago, Illinois, before the 32nd annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, and published in Radiology 49, 143-151 (1947).

What we claim as our invention and desire to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

N (B hydroxyethyl) tetraiodo phthalimide, having the formula N-C Hr-C Hr-O H WILLIAM H. STRAIN. JOSEPH DEC.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

(January 

